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Durani Empire
The Durani "The Ancient Durani Empire had enjoyed its complete hegemony over Eretsu for a thousand years-until the Khan began his war of conquest." For some the Durani Empire is the basti on of civilization. Durani scholars study at libraries that hold the accumulated knowledge of centuries. The mighty cities, built with the power of the Arcanum Durani, are marvels of stone and metalwork. Their broad avenues and dirty alleys pulse with commerce both legal and illicit. Within the walls of the Empire many of it’s citizens enjoy lives of plenty and peace. Others, however, point to the harshness with which the Durani rule their conquered territories. They point to the unlit corners of the Empire’s grandest cities where impoverished laborers struggle to earn enough to survive. Yet any protest from the population is crushed by the same Golems that hold the chaos of the outer lands at bay. After such a long, uncontested rule, corruption and vice had settled in the heart of the Durani Empire. When the rumors of the Gudanna Horde began to spread the Princes of the Empire were either too indolent or too foolish to respond – and thusly the Empire was whittled down to its current state as the secondary power of Eretsu. Now, two new leaders have risen to power. The Raga Dasra, of the Upper Empire, and the Raja Sudhamra, of the Lower Empire, both seek to reverse the decline of their nation. Each, however, have very different motives and methods for accomplishing that goal. Raga Dasra "Princess Dasra mobilizes her Golem armies to return the Empire to its former glory by taking revenge on The Dominion, retaking her lands, and destroying The Khan’s heirs in the process." The thousand-year-old Durani Empire’s prosperous northern region is ruled by the Raga Dasra, great-granddaughter of His Highness the Supreme Emperor. Originally from a minor house, Dasra has survived the deadly politics and feuds of the Durani nobility to rise to the position of Raga. Since her ascendancy she has instituted reforms and consolidated her power, ignoring the protests of the Old Houses in order to strengthen the Durani Empire and forge a new world order. She stings from humiliation at having to pay tribute to the Great Khan after the defeat of the Empire. As cunning and cold blooded as the snake of her family crest, she carefully calculates every move in her campaign to capitalize on the collapse of his Dominion and assume the Empire’s Gilded Throne. Raja Sudhamra "Sudhamra, the “Prince of the People”, has restored the lower Empire to peace after a generation of rebellion and invasion. Now he must balance his personal hope for peace against the pragmatic need for the mighty warlord he once was." Born to a Zikia Princess who had escaped from the Emperor’s harem, Sudhamra survived a childhood spent in the rebellious slums of the Lower Durani Empire. Forcibly recruited into the army, he gained glory in battle was quickly promoted to Commander of the Elite Western Wind regiment- the youngest to ever receive that honor. When the armies of the Empire were decimated by the Great Khan, only Sudhamra’s Western Wind stood tall. Even so, it was a shock when he was selected to be Raja, Prince of the Lower Empire. The people of the Lower Empire trust their Prince, one of their own raised up after 500 years of being ruled by distant and disinterested administrators. With the war joined Raja Sudhamra knows he must he lead his people to victory before he can have the peace his heart desires.